Facet setting tool



July 19, 1966 M. M. AMERLING 3,261,238

FACET SETTING TOOL Filed June 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '9- 26 24 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,261,238 FACET SETTING TOOL Mack M. Amerling, 1560 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed June 15, 1964, Ser. No. 375,120 3 Claims. (Cl. 81-7) This invention relates generally to the art of jewelry and more particularly to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in pliers or plier-type tools used by jewelers for clamping a setting around a gem or jewel.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a pair of hand-operated pliers or pinchers or like tool which is designed to adjustably engage the article of jewelry in which the gem is to be set and to adjustably engage the gem retaining element or setting of said article under yielding pressure to force said setting to assume the bent or closed position about the gem inserted therein for permanently securing the gem in set relation with the article of jewelry.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of this type that is adapted to set a gem tight and true automatically in a single operation.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a pair of pliers embodying one form of the invention, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 2 is a View as seen from the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 2A is a view similar to FIG. 2 of a fragment of I the jaw, on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the pliers in use, gripping a setting on a ring.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view on a larger scale showing the jaws of the pliers preparatory to gripping a setting on a ring.

FIG. 5 shows the jaws gripping the setting, the jaws being shown in section.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective View of a fragment of a pair of pliers embodying a modified form of the invention, a jewelry setting being shown associated with the jaws of the pliers.

FIG. 8 is a part sectional and part elevational view of a chuck type tool embodying another modified form of the invention, part of the handle being shown broken away.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 99 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a chuck type tool embodying still another modified form of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a similar view of a chuck'type tool embodying yet a further modified form of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11, on an enlarged scale.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings, in FIG. 1 a pair of pliers embodying one form of the invention is shown and designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The pair of pliers is formed of suitable metal and comprises a pair of elongated oppositely curved handles 12 and 14, crossing each other and pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin or stud 16, in the usual manner.

The handles 12 and 14 are formed with integral elongated jaws 18 and 20, respectively. The jaws are duplicates of each other and each has a tapered body 22 com- Patented July 19, 1966 ing to a point 24 at the outer free end thereof. The points 24 come together when the handles are at the ends of their inner stroke.

In accordance with the invention, each jaw is formed with a pair of closely spaced holes 26 at the pointed end thereof, the holes being disposed transversely of the tip of the jaw. The holes are so arranged that they are in line with each other when the jaws are brought together. Each hole is round in cross section with one end edge, the inner end edge 28, tapered at an angle of forty-five degrees as indicated at 27 in FIGS. 2A and 5.

The improved pair of pliers 10 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 applied to a setting 30 on a ring 32 of precious metal, the setting being constituted by four closely spaced outstanding posts 34 projecting from the annular body 36 of the ring, in square formation. The posts are formed with spherical outer extremities 38.

In use, a gem or jewel in the form of a colored ball which is to be secured in the setting 30 is seated on the outer periphery of the body of the ring 32 between the posts 34 of the setting. The pair of pliers 10 is held in the hand perpendicularly or radially of the body of the ring with the jaws 18 and 20 disposed longitudinally of the posts 34 as shown in FIG. 3, with the extremities of a pair or two of the posts 34- seated in the tapered ends 28 of the holes 26 in the jaw 18 and with the extremities 38 of the other opposed pair of posts 34 seated in the tapered ends 28 of the holes 26 of the jaw 20 as shown in FIG. 5. Upon squeezing the handles 12 and 14, the spherical ends 38 of the posts 34 are bent over or around the ball 40 thereby securing the ball in place in the setting, the angled edge 27 permitting this bending operation.

The modified pair of pliers 10 illustrated in FIG. 7 differs from the pair of pliers 10 merely in arranging the the pair of holes 26' with the individual holes 26 disposed longitudinally of the body 22' of the jaws 1S and 20 instead of transversely as in pliers 10. Accordingly, in using the pair of pliers 10, the jaws 18 and 20 are arranged perpendicularly to the length or axes of the posts 34' as shown in FIG. 7, instead of perpendicularly to the body of the ring and longitudinally of the length of the posts as in the pair of pliers It as shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the modification of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, herein a chuck type of pinching tool 10" is shown. The tool 10" comprises a cylindrical solid shank or stock 40 formed with elongated radially yieldable elongated jaws 42 with tapered pointed ends 44 with slightly curved inner faces 46. Four such jaws are shown. A bulbous wooden handle 48 is suitably fastened to the inner end of the shank or stock 49. The outer surfaces of the jaws are formed with transverse screw threads 48 upon which ride an internally screw threaded nut 50 for opening and closing the jaws.

The tool 10" is used similarly to tool 10, that is, the handle 48 is held in the hand so that the shank or stock 40 is disposed perpendicularly or radially of the body of the ring as shown in FIG. 3, with the jaws 42 disposed longitudinally of the posts 34 and with the extremities 38 of the posts seated in the space between the ends of the jaws. Upon turning the nut 50 in one direction, the jaws will be pressed toward each other and the spherical ends 38 of the posts will be pressed toward each other, over and around the ball 40, thereby securing the ball in place in the setting.

In FIG. 10, another modified form of chuck type of pinching tool 10a is shown. The tool 10a is in the form of a double-headed chuck having an elongated tubular hollow body with a knurled outer surface 62. A chuck device 64 is supported at each end of the body, the device forming an extension of the body. Each device 64 consists of a stock or shank portion 66 formed with elongated radially yieldable elongated jaws 68 with slightly tapered free ends 70 with slightly curved inner faces such as the faces 46 of tool 10". Four such jaws are used similarly to tool 10". The outer surfaces of the jaws are screw-threaded and an elongated nut 72 rides on the jaws for opening and closing the same.

In use, either end of the tool 10a may be used in a manner similarly to the manner of use of tool 10" of FIG. 8.

Another modified form of chuck type pinching tool 10x is illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. The tool 10x comprises an elongated tubular body 80 with knurled outer surface 82. The body 80' houses spring-pressed chuck mechanism including a cylindrical shank or stock 82 positioned at one end. The stock is formed with elongated radially yieldable elongated jaws 84 extending outwardly of one end of the body. The jaws have tapered outer surfaces 86 and inner curved faces 88. The stock is formed with a stem 90 forming an extension thereof, extending toward the other end of the body. A head constituting a finger piece 92 is threaded on the free threaded end of the stern for sliding the stem and stock. A compression spring 94 is sleeved around the stem with one end seated on a washer 96 disposed across the interior of the body and with its other end impinging against the inner end of the head 92.

In use, the jaws 84 are positioned on the posts 34 similarly to tool 10 shown in FIG. 3. Upon pulling on the head or finger piece 92, the jaws 84 will be retracted against the action of spring 94 pressing the spherical ends 38 around the ball 40 to secure the ball in position in the setting.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Pat-,

ent is:

1. Pliers of the character described comprising pivoted jaws of duplicate construction, each jaw having a tapered body coming to a pointed end with a solid flat inner surface and a curved outer surface, said pointed end having a pair of closely spaced holes extending therethrough from top to bottom, the inner ends of the holes being tapered so that said inner ends are larger than the outer ends.

2. Pliers of the character described comprising pivoted jaws of duplicate construction, each jaw having an elongated tapered body coming to a pointed end, with a solid flat inner surface and a curved outer surface, said pointed end having a pair of closely spaced holes extending therethrough transversely thereof, from top to bottom thereof, the inner ends of the holes being tapered so that said inner ends are larger than the outer ends.

3. Pliers of the character described comprising pivoted jaws of duplicate construction, each jaw having a tapered body coming to a pointed end with a solid flat inner surface and a curved outer surface, said pointed end having a pair of closely spaced holes extending therethrough from top to bottom, the inner ends of the holes being tapered so that the inner ends are larger than the outer ends, said pair of holes being disposed longitudinally of the jaw.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 148,656 3/1874 Blair 73 X 157,293 12/1874 Pitt 81-43 1,753,080 4/1930 Zwelling et al 813.6 3,175,556 3/1965 Wood et al 128305 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Examiner. 

1. PLIERS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING PIVOTED JAWS OF DUPLICATE CONSTRUCTION, EACH JAW HAVING A TAPERED BODY COMING TO A POINTED END WITH A SOLID FLAT INNER SURFACE AND A CURVED OUTER SURFACE, SAID POINTED END HAVING A PAIR OF CLOSELY SPACED HOLES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, THE INNER ENDS OF THE HOLES BEING TAPERED SO THAT SAID INNER ENDS ARE LARGER THAN THE OUTER ENDS. 